Ore-separator.



No. 664,768. Patented Dec. 25, i900.

A. R. menoNALD,.1n.

OBE SEPARATOB'.

(Applicafion Iled Dec. 27, 1897. Renewed Dec. 3, 1900.)

3 sham-sheet '(Nollodel.)

No'. 664,768.. Patonted'Dec. 25, |900. A. R. MACDONALD, In. one s'EPAnATon 3 Sheets-Shaet 2.

(Applicatiogx lnd Dec. 27, 1897. Renewed Dec. 3, 1900.)

(No ludsl.)

Will

Wmes'ses 1n: Nonms ranas co.4 moro-mmc., wunmoron, n. c.

No. 664,768. Patented Dec. 25, i900. A. R. MACDONALD, 1R.

ORE SEPARATDR.

v (Application filed IDec` 27, 1897. Renewed Dec. 3, 1900.) (No Nadal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER ROY MACDONALD, JR., OF MONTREAL, CANADA;

o RE-sE-PA RATO SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,768, dated December e5, 190B. Appiioatio nea Detente? 2.7.1897. Renewed Decmtf 3,1900'. semi No. 38,561. No modle T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

y Be it known that I, ALEXANDER ROY MAC- DONALD, Jr., a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing in the city and district of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Separators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in ore-separators.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of this character in which the ore after being crushed is passed through a sluiceway in such manner that eddies will be formed in which the ore and water will be temporarily held subject to the action of the amalgamating medium.

A further object is to provide a device in which the ore is subjected to the action of the amalgamating medium in its passage through the sluiceway for its entire length, forming a succession of traps for the metal.

A further object is to provide a device in which the water after passing through the sluiceway is caught u p and passed back to be used again.

A further object is to provide a collapsible ore-separator which can be readily transported and placed in position with great ease.

A further object is to provide a device which will be durable in construction, accurate and simple in its operation, and which can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

To these ends my invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all of the views, Figure lis a plan view of my improved ore-separator. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the hopper. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the middle section, showing the brushes and drawertrap. Fig. 5 is a sectional View showing the construction of the eddy-formers, together with the trap therefor. Fig. 6 is a similar View showing a removable trap. Fig. 7 is a view of the lower section and the pan. Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the pan.

Numerous ore separators and amalgamators have been provided for the purpose of extracting precious metals, and especially gold, from the ore, and in most of these constructions the use of mercury as an amalgamatorhas been found to be the best. In these constructions,however,the ore and water have been passed through the sluice-box in such manner that a quantity of the gold has escaped by reason of the fact that the progress of the water through the separator has been colnparatively steady and does not allow the ore to remain at rest sufficient time to allow the gold to be amalgamated with the mercury. Previous constructions have also been made in such manner as to be cumbersome and inconvenient for transportation. Another disadvantage has appeared in that when the water has been passed through the sluiceway it is allowed to pass away and be wasted, a disadvantage that is very costly, especially when the separator is used in a region where wateris scarce. It is the purpose of the present device to obviate these disadvantages, and in so doing I provide the following-described device:

A designates a sluice having the support, composed of side sections a and end sections ct. The sections d are made in convenient lengths and are adapted to be put together and the end pieces placed thereon, the entire forming a frame light in weight, but by reason of the use of the braces a2 of exceedingly strong and durable construction. The frame is adapted to be set at an angle, being supported by any suitable support, such as stones, beams, &c. The side sections a are held against any liability of spreading by means of rods 0.3.

Mounted within the supporting-sections a d and seated on the rods a3 is the sluiceway B, formed of the sections b b' b2. These sections are adapted to be fitted together in such manner as will form a continuous sluiceway. The section b2 has one of its sides rounded, as best shown in Fig. 7, for a purpose hereinafter described. Each section b b' b2 is'provided with a series of eddy-formers b3, formed as shown in Fig. 1,7each eddy-.formerconsisting of a semici'rcularband'b1, secu-red to the bottom of the section and partially surrounding a suitable depression b5, the central portion of the band being provided with an eX- tension h6, adapted .topartiallysurround a depression b7, extending downward to a greater depth than the depression b5. If desired, the depression b7 may have its bottom open, .as shown in Fig. 6, in which case a cap bs should be provided.

By means'of vthe above construction tit will be apparent-that the passage of Ithe waterand i ore downward through thevsluiceway will be continually interrupted and they will be compelled to pass into each series'of bands andbe forced in a circular direction, formin g an eddy ineach band, the central'part of which isdirectly over the depression b5. As vthe eddy continues, it will be obvious that' the crushed ethus cause a greater amount of theminerals tolbecaught up byithe mercury.

The central section b" is provided Aat each vend with semicircular recesses b9, Vhaving openings 1110,'the openings 'leading into a suitable drawer b11, adapted .tobe slidably mounted in guideways, as best shown'inFig. et. The

' 'drawers b11a're adapted to contain mercury,

linto which the crushed o're andwater are swept `-by means of brushes "1912. The brushes?)12 are formed insections andheld togetherwhen in :use lby suitable means. Ashaft 513 is mounted in suitable bearings '1214, preferably 'ballfbearings, to which -shafts ,the brush'es'l2 are connected. Each shaft'is provided with suitable sprocket-wheels Z915 and they areconnected together, as shownin Fig. 1. Thefshafts are 'rotated by suitable means,'they'in turn operatingthe brushes. It wi'llbe'apparent that thebrushes will sweep the crushed oreaud :water'into the recesses,wheretheore is subject-ed to the action of the mercury, and then` passed out, where it hagainencounters the acltion ofthe eddy-formers, ashereinbefore described.

' The section bis provided with a removableV hopper"C,composed ofthe'ared top @and a central chamber c. A suitable removable sieve c2 `is mounted between the topo andchauber c.

'The vcentral chamber c' is provided with a suitable brush c3, formed .similar to the ,brus'hes 612, adaptedto'be rotated by means of a sprocket secured to the end of the shaft c1 and connected to the sprockets on the shaft 613." Below'the brush cslissecured aremov- 'able sieve c5.

"Theoperation of the device asabove `described "s as follows: The water, which is kept in a suitable tank, not shown,) is turned Gemss into .the top c, into whichthe crushed ore has been placed, the water and crushed ore passing through the sieve c2 into the central chamber c', Yin which the brush c3 spreads the crushed ore and forces it throughthe sieve c5 onto Vthe sluiceway, down whichit passes and becomes subjected to the action of the eddy-formers and brushes, as heretofore described. After the ore has passed the lower series of eddy-formers in section b2 of the sluiceway it is forced to one side of the sluiceway bythe .rounded '.e nd .from Vvvhi chit vpasses .into ,the pan D, mounted atthe lower end of thefr'ame. The pan Di'is preferably formed as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and consists of the main portion 'd and the drip-'flanged'.

.formed with cup-shapeddepressions-ladaptf "wi-"th an opening d3. Thepajn'Disso arranged that as the oreV passesfrom the-opening-a-tth-e one side of 'the '-pa'n, the "forcebeing sufcient 'to force it 'around Athe 'pan `wit-h circular motion, fol-min ga llarge eddy, thecentral'part `being practically with()ut,movement,-thepar ticles being held 'in' VVsuspension, the r `heavier particles dropping to the Ebottorn'an'd swept lintothe depression d2. Asthe-depth df'water operative -fconnection with the 4tlange dffinto the tan-k containing thev Water-:supply to'1be used in Apassing'ot-hero're over th'e'sll'lficeway. In thisjmanner no'Wa-teris wastedjitgcontinumated.V

As the frame and sluicewayare all'lforrned ijn sections andthe'zhopper:is'rem'ovable from thel slu ice way,`it Vwill lbeapparent that the entire outitcan be taken apa-rt andputfinltola com-pact form, making i-teasyto be trans ported, -the small parts,`bru`shes, &c.,biug 4'placed'inside of the central rc'hanb'erofthe fhopper. I

The brushes arerpreferably formed Iinseetons, as hereinbefore setforth,"in (nder'that 'they may TAbe readily packed,' an`d while any what is known-asta wire'b1'ush.'""' Thebristlesare'preferably arrangedinspiral'form or, ,as shown in Eig'. A1,]v'v`ith1a'zigzagw movement lacross the "brush, Vcausing .thermtoforcexthe ore backward andforwardto better aid-'inits amalgamation. i' i i Any suitable powergmayfberused to actuate the rmechanism--suchY as1hand,]ste am`, YVwind, water, or animal-jthe one most {'convenient beingused and'theconnection' beingmadefto one-'of theshafts 2911"'. Y

The en tire outt is to be made of some suit- 'increases it flows over the '.top of The `I I'Ja'in portion'into the 'drip-fflan'ge 'c'lfr'oniwherefit-V is pumped by means of asuma-ble `pu-f'nrpfiE, 1 N actu atedrbysuitable ge'aringiconniectedxolthe I brush-.actuating mechanism andh'avi-ng :an

ing Ain use guntil the ore is entirely Yamalga? `The f bottom of the vmain'portiouvcl iisprefkerably ed Yto contain mercury. The dripf-Eange'jis form ed to Yextend abovetihe ,top'of the main portion d and vhas its bottom arrangedatja slight'angle, thellowest point'be'ing provi'ded` Y lower Ve'n'dvof theslu'iceway'itis forced toward Y 12o suitablebrush may b'eused `I Vpreferably"use Y ees-.tjes

able material which is light in weight yet of great tensile strength, such as aluminium, to enable it to be readily transported.

The sides of the pan D are provided with annular indentations d to prevent the ore from rising in the pan while having its circular movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isl. A sluiceway for ore-separators, comprising a sluice; a series of depressions formed therein; and bands extending vertically therefrom in series, said bands extending around the lower side of said depressions, the ends of bands of alternate series being joined, whereby the material passing over said sluice will be given a backward rotary movement, said movement being in opposite directions during the passage of successive series of bands.

2. A sluiceway for ore-separators, comprising a sluice; a series of depressions formed therein; and semicylindrical bands extending therefrom, in series, said bands extending around the lower side of said depressions, the ends of bands of alternate series being joined, whereby the material passing over said sluice will be given a backward rotary movement, said movement being in opposite directions during the passage of successive series of bands.

3. A sluiceway for ore-separators, comprising a sluice; and bands extending vertically therefrom in series7 the ends of bands of alternate series being joined, whereby the material passing over said sluice will be given a backward rotary movement, said movement being in opposite directions during the passage of successive series of bands.

4. A sluiceway for ore-separators, comprising a sluice; and semicylindrical bands extending upwardly therefrom in series, the ends of bands of alternate series being joined, whereby the material passing over said sluice will be given a backward rotary movement, said movement being in opposite directions during the passage of successive series of bands.

5. A sluiceway for ore-separators, comprising a sluice; and bands extending vertically therefrom in lateral and longitudinal series, the ends of bands of alternate longitudinal series being joined.

6. A sluiceway for ore-separators, comprising a sluice; and semicylindrical bands extending therefrom, in lateral and longitudinal series, the ends of bands of alternate longitudinal series being joined.

7 A sluiceway for ore-separators, comprising a sluice; a series of depressions formed therein; and bands extending vertically therefrom in lateral and longitudinal series, said bands extending around the lower side of said depressions, the ends of bands of alternate longitudinal series being joined.

8. A sluiceway for ore-separators, comprising a sluice; a series of depressions formed therein; and semicylindrical bands extending vertically therefrom in lateral and longitudinal series, said bands extending around the lower side of said depressions, the ends of bands of alternate longitudinal series being joined.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER ROY MACDONALD, JR.

Witnesses: J. H. COOLAHAN, ALEx. MCKENZIE. 

